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Court of a Thousand Gods
Participating Countries: Xalar Empire, the Five Nations of Illigyr Basic Holy Days: Too many to count Country-Specific Holy Days: None Centers of Worship: Center Where The Great Temple of Yllig Xalar Empire The Temple of the Prophet Xalar Empire The Temple of the Court Xiltar Deities: Xemilan, Goddess of the Sun Xiltiri, Goddess of the Moon Xalaphel, God of Fate Many, many others Preferred Mantles: None General Description The Court of the Thousand Gods is either the original form, or a very old offshoot of, the religion of the Three-Fold Gods. Which it is, is a question that theological scholars still haven't settled despite centuries of speculation. Indeed, the phrase "debating the court", referring to those theological disputes, is an idiom for futility in the Xalar Empire. The Court's primary difference from the Three-Fold is the abscence of ancestor shrines (and worship), and the incorporation of many, many, minor gods, some of whom (like Devan the God of Smiths) were once human. Even more than the Three-Fold, the Court has a very light grip on its worshippers, and many, perhaps the majority, of its worshippers might as well be agnostics. Timeline Year Event -207 The Prophet Illigyr begins preaching. -183 The First Temple built by the Great Emperor Yllig -132 The First Temple razed by the invading army of the Great Neck Empire. -97 The Temple of the Courts is built. 293 Emperor Yllig Maret builds the Great Temple of Yllig based on the First Temple's plans. 756-93 The Temple of the Prophet is built. 793 The Rededication of the Temples. Detailed Deities Xemilan, the Goddess of the Sun, is Xalaphel's daughter by Xalath. She is the deity of beauty, the fine arts, charity and mercy, the sun, light, and all things good. She is always depicted as a tall and slender smiling beauty clothed in delicate silk robes, usually dancing with musical instruments, poems, sculptures, books, and paintings in the foreground. Her priests are usually young, artistically talented males. In the Five Nations of Illigyr, her priests are often sympathetic to the men's right's movement, and often clandestine supporters. Some of the more radical priests are vocal advocates of the men's rights movement. Some females as priestesses and are usually in charge of the administration of the church, but not its overall policy, which is set by the Priest's Council. Xiltiri, the Goddess of the Moon, Night, and Darkness is feared by many of her worshipers. She is the deity of secrets, death, war, money, trade, and storms. All things dangerous are under her dominion. She is always depicted as a large, voluptuous, dark-skinned woman, dressed in metal-embossed and spiked leather armor, reclining on a fur-covered throne of gold. She holds a golden goblet in one hand, and the other clutches a barbed whip, which dangles to the floor. Her face is concealed by the helmet she wears, except for the shine of four fangs in a threatening smile and two bright points of light where her eyes should be. Her priests are her most visible servants, going out into the world to conduct funeral rights. But it is her priestesses who are most feared, and who only seem to appear in times of great strife. Xiltiri has, at best, a strained relationship with her once lover, Xalaphel, and is constantly opposed by her daughter. Xalaphel, the God of Fate, is a trickster god. He is the deity of discovery, stealth, communications, travel, and weather. He is depicted as a scout holding a scroll tube running from the forest into fields, with a bow and quiver strapped to his back. Xalaphel's priestesses are usually chosen from among the most intelligent of the orphans, and a very few become oracles and prophetesses. Xalaphel also has a number of priests, who serve as elite scouts, guides, and protectors of pilgrims and travelers. Many of the traveler's waystations and inns around the Inner Seas are operated by Xalaphel's priests and priestesses, especially in the more remote regions. He deceived Xiltiri and became her lover so that she would birth Xemilan, whom he then abducted and raised, with whom he still maintains close ties. There are innumerable other minor gods, each generally held responsible for a single area of interest, with many gods having overlapping, or speciallized, interests. In fact, it is not uncommon for the untutored to refer to a God of "X", where X is not an officially recognized god of the Court. The twenty most popular minor gods are: God of... Name Gender War Rarmes Male Love Valitisa Female Rain Rothom Male Flowers Sunila Female Smiths Devan Male Warriors Arthiz Male Wizards Maren Female Merchants Boalehaz Male Wealth Girtilas Female Luck Jili ? Travel Vareg Male Youth Mirtilam Male Rivers Thenart Male Sea Muretala Female Storms Jezuri Female Ships Helit Female Sailors Amotsak Male Motherhood Aplipi Female Health Arnath Male Beauty Pirtilis Female Category: SettingCategory: Religions